Visiting Seminyak

Updated: Apr 16

From the jungle to the beach club, this piece of paradise is all about fun in the sun

One of the largest beach communities in Bali and home of the famous Potato Head Beach Club; Seminyak has something for everyone. This upscale spot in the sand offers luxurious hotels, local fashion boutiques, wild nightlife and is one of the most popular backpacking hubs in Bali. Jalan Raya and Jalan Kayu Ayu are the main streets; lined with bars, restaurants, shops, and cafes.

Accommodations

M-Box Hostel: This modern, budget-orientated hostel is located right in the heart of Seminyak. If you are traveling solo, in a group, or as a family I highly recommend this accommodation. Each pod has a reading lamp, safety lockbox, outlets and rolling curtain for privacy. Hostels are not for everyone and that's ok. If you a solo traveler I highly recommend staying in a hostel; it is a great way to socialize and meet others.

Pros:

Very clean and well kept

Different sizes of rooms (single, 4 bed, 6 bed, 10 bed)

Bar and restaurant in the hostel

Friendly staff

Five-minute walk to the beach

Cons:

Party hostel

Located on the main strip - very loud at night

Shared bathrooms between 10-20 people

Restaurants

If you're stumped for places to eat, I recommend heading to the beach - the options are endless. Every beach front restaurant offers live music entertainment, plenty of food options and delicious drinks. Grab a seat in the sand and enjoy everything that Seminyak has to offer.

Kynd Community: This picture-perfect, Instagram famous café is a foodie and a blogger's dream! Their plant-based café makes veggies look pretty… have your cameras ready! I highly recommend the Dirty Matcha to drink, the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings and the Pulled Cheekan Salad.

Bar and Clubs

Potato Head Beach Club: A day-time, famous beach club is only a short distance away from Seminyak by scooter. I highly recommend getting there early as the daybeds are on a first-come, first-serve basis and require a minimum spend of Rp. 500,000 which is around 50$ CAD. Eat, swim, dance or relax...with a swim-up bar and an infinity pool overlooking the ocean; everyone will enjoy. How could you not be in heaven? The only downside is that it can be very expensive. My go-to drink for the day was the Bali Boat - a Coconut, pineapple, citrus, hibiscus syrup with vodka and strawberry-infused arak. Yummy right?

Frankenstein Laboratory: HEAD HERE FOR A GOOD TIME AND LOTS OF DANCING. This bar was like nothing I had ever seen - it is a Halloween themed cabaret. They serve you creepy cocktails and shots in syringes. Great atmosphere and entertainment.

La Favela: This place was recommended to us by all the locals. If you are looking for more of a night club vibe, I would suggest here. It is quoted as one of Bali’s most exquisite hotspots. With expensive drinks and extremely loud music; it was not my favourite spot.

The Beach

I spent a lot of my time at the beach - mainly because I found that there was not much else to do. However, be prepared as the beach is not well-groomed or maintained. I recommend sticking to the beach club vibe or traveling up coast to a less populated destination.

Getting Around

Getting around Seminyak was very easy as everything is within walking distance except for Potato Head Beach Club which we just road a scooter too. Don’t waste your money on transportation here – the best and quickest way to get from place to place is by foot.

Initially, I was excited and had high expectations for Seminyak. I can honestly say that overall, I was quite disappointed. I was excited to be on the beach and enjoy the sunshine (which I did) however I was not impressed with the beach and ocean; it was overpopulated, poorly maintained and the number of hawkers was unpleasant. I did enjoy the main streets, the food options, and our accommodation – this beach town lets off crazy party vibes so if you're looking for a place to relax and rejuvenate then this is not the place for you.